Oscar "Pelee" Peterson, a descendant of Swedish immigrants, was born in Michigan in 1887. He began huntung and fishing as a boy in Michigan's Lower Pennisula and remained a wilderness guide throughout his life. He began carving fish decoys as a child and ultimately produced decoys as a professional. He sold them to the tourist trade as Cadillac, Michigan was an intersection for people heading to Northern Michigan to hunt and fish. As pictured here, his work was not constrained to executing fish decoys; he carved plaques, sculptures, vases and other decorative objects. His carvings are characterized by great technical skill combined with whimsy and imagination.

A PAINTED AND DECORATED CARVED SNAPPING TURTLE

OSCAR PETERSON, CADILLAC, MICHIGAN, SECOND QUARTER, 20TH CENTURY

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A PAINTED AND DECORATED CARVED SNAPPING TURTLE
OSCAR PETERSON, CADILLAC, MICHIGAN, SECOND QUARTER, 20TH CENTURY
12 in. long

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